Happy Anniversary, Little Violin

June 26, 2006 at 12:57 PM

It started the way many a love affair has -- a starry June night, a chance encounter in a hot tub, the gentle swoosh of the Pacific Ocean beneath us, a conversation that led to That Subject. “You’re a violinist?” I asked the woman in the hot tub across from me. “Oh this is such a coincidence! I’m about to start a writing project that has a violinist as one of its characters and I plan on learning everything I can in the next year. Maybe even take a lesson or two!” Then came the proposition. “So… if I paid you for a few lessons, would you, like, play some tunes for me during that session?”

Thus was voiced the first of my naïve assumptions that now, a year later, has me cringing in shame. But I’ve always found shameful confessions in my writing to be good for a laugh. Therefore, without further ado, I present my list of top ten stupid assumptions I’d made this time last year, before ever picking up a fiddle. That’s right, folks. I’d neven ever touched a fiddle. Oh, the shame…

Top 10 Assumptions

10) That I could learn all I needed to know about being a violinist by taking four or five lessons.

9) That my plan was simply to conduct field research and not get emotionally involved. Never had been a musician, never would be, and that sort of thing.

8) That an investment of $250.00 in a violin was rather extravagant.

7) That a year spent reading sheet music would mean that I’d be a pro at sight-reading and not have to murmur “Every good boy does fine” to myself when struggling through a new tune.

6) That I’d be able to keep my fingernails long and pretty.

5) That not having the aforementioned would bother me terribly.

4) That after a year of lessons, I’d be able to play with vibrato.

3) That intonation was something you “got” after a few months, like the chicken pox or the clap, and then it was done and you could move on, issue addressed and conquered.

2) That after an entire year of study, I wouldn’t be a beginner anymore.

1) That I’d be posting these confessions on my own blog at violinist.com, a forum that was so irrevocably out of my league twelve months ago, it might have been in a foreign language.

Pausing from my snarky tone to extend my humble thanks to all of you here for helping me learn so much in the past year.

From Karin Lin
Posted on June 26, 2006 at 3:58 PM

Ha, ha, Terez! Thanks for sharing...I had no idea you started violin for a writing project! So, now that the year is over, will you be leaving us, or keeping on with "the devil's instrument"?

From Terez Mertes
Posted on June 26, 2006 at 5:07 PM

Oh, Karin, I'm in way too deep to consider giving it up. That, to me, is the grand irony of it all. Particularly when I give up my writing time to faithfully practice the violin. Speaking of which...

From Eileen Geriak
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 12:04 AM

Lol Terez ! I enjoyed reading your post. I've been playing the violin for almost 4 years now...and I STILL havn't gotten vibrato !!

From Terez Mertes
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 3:14 AM

Eileen - four years more? Eeeeeeeeee!!!!! ((Runs out of room in panic.))

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 6:39 AM

I'm glad you're brave enough to share your naive assumptions with us. I'm especially glad that, in spite of the challenges, you're going to continue playing the violin. Bravo!

From Terez Mertes
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 6:43 AM

Pauline - thanks for realizing that it's bravery! Sometimes posting my thoughts here gives me an uneasy "Emperor's New Clothes" feeling. : ) Guess it's what a writer's got to do, though.

The worst feeling is the time between posting and receiving a reply. If the time grows long, the urge to throw a few robes over my blog becomes very intense. So, thank you for saving me this time, Karin!

From Neil Cameron
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 10:55 AM

Happy anniversary Terez! Way to go.

I've finally unpacked enough here in Ottawa to pick up my viola and start practicing again. Now to find a teacher.

Again, congrats on becoming hooked on making music.

Neil

From Sydney Menees
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 3:55 PM

I started violin without having time to think of - as you said - assumptions, but I wonder if what you said is what the majority of non-violinists think! *gasps*

From Terez Mertes
Posted on June 27, 2006 at 5:18 PM

Sydney - it's a scary thought, isn't it? Can you believe I've admitted to all this? But I'll have you know that A.F., on the "Time to Pack it Up?" thread, admitted to over 50% of them. All right everyone, go quiz your non-violinist friends and report the results. And Neil. NEIL!!!!! You know, I was going to send up flares next, to find out if anyone knew where you'd gone to. So glad to see you back! Missing Santa Cruz? It's as comfortingly weird as ever, BTW.

From Jamie Puffer
Posted on June 29, 2006 at 2:26 PM

*grins* Playing for a year is a humbling experience, isn't it. I'm at that same point pretty much.

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Happy Anniversary, Little Violin

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